United Kingdom: York

A detour in York on the way to Edinburgh

We left London on an early train from King's Cross station to York.  Although we would eventually spend the night in Edinburgh, York is conveniently located halfway between the two cities, which provided the perfect daytrip/break in our journey. After arriving in York, we stored our luggage near the station, which is a great option if you are only choosing to spend the day. The luggage storage area charges a small fee and is located outside the station proper near a car park. 

Our train arrived early enough to allow us just enough time to catch the free volunteer walking tour in York which started at 10:15 in Exhibition Square and included Museum Gardens, St. Mary's Abbey, walking the walls, the Shambles, and plenty of history along the way. Local volunteer guides share their love of the city, with our tour being led by a lovely grandfatherly figure who was especially proud of Dame Judy Dench's connection to York.

After exploring the ruins of St. Mary's Abbey, we walked up some stairs to stroll along the top of the city's walls, which was very Game of Thrones-esque.

From the walls, one gains an excellent view of York Minster and the grounds of the Dean's residence. At the time of our visit, a woman presided as Dean of the Minster. 

One of the most visited sections of York is known as The Shambles. Formerly the butcher's quarter, the narrow street is lined with shops and restaurants in restored buildings that lean inward across the lane. Despite being surrounded by other tourists, the area provides the feeling of stepping back in time to an English story-tale (or Diagon Alley). 

With our tour complete, we navigated through the busy streets of York and shopped for art and souvenirs in the many cute shops.  We even stopped in for lunch from a proper Chippy - Drake's Fish and Chips (cash only), which was enjoyed while watching some entertainers in King's Square.

One highlight of any York trip is a visit to it's famed Gothic cathedral - York Minster, which is adorned with gargoyles staring down at those who enter.

Organ music greeted us as we entered and paid for our tickets. But, not just any organ music. The organist launched into a church-like rendition of "All You Need is Love," which was excitingly reminiscent of the scene from Love Actually. Ashley couldn't resist joining the audience since she considers this British classic as one of the best movies ever. Nate was mostly concerned that she would attempt to sing along. So enthralled with the music (and half expecting flutists to pop up from the audience at any moment), we almost missed the start of the guided tour (included with the admission ticket).

The cathedral contains impressive stained glass windows. During the world wars, the glass was removed and stored for safe keeping beneath the city walls. While we were there, a massive restoration project was taking place to care for the beloved windows on the east side of the church. As such, there were interesting exhibits regarding the process that enabled us to see some of the small panes up close, which allowed us to admire the intricate detail of several scenes. It's fascinating the artists take such care despite knowing the congregation would only have the opportunity to view the windows from afar.

With a little time to kill before catching our train, we stopped in of the more interesting pubs of our vacation - House of the Trembling Madness (which has a nicer ring to it than "Alcohol Withdrawal" or "the Shakes").  As we walked up the creeky stairs, we sort of  felt like we stepped into the Leaky Cauldron (yep, another Harry Potter reference, deal with it, we are millennials visiting England). All sorts of animal heads (including a kangaroo) adorned the walls of the small upstairs bar. We enjoyed one last proper English ale before heading into Scotland.

For those familiar with York, you may have noticed one notable exclusion from our itinerary in York - the Jorvik Viking Centre. Although an extremely popular attraction that explains the history of Vikings in the area, Ashley was too scarred from a childhood visit to the museum to even entertain going on this trip. The smells continue to haunt her. Don't let them fool you, it's not  "just like Disney." However, it should be noted that Ashley doesn't like the Viking ride at actual Disney either, so maybe she just isn't a fan of vikings. 

Pints drained, we made our way back to our luggage and train station to make the second leg of today's journey, a 2.5 hour ride to Edinburgh.

Per some recommendations prior (thanks Iain), we eagerly grabbed a seat on the right side of the train to enjoy beautiful views of the coast, cliffs, golf courses, sheep, and Holy Island (as seen in Vikings).